LANSING - Michigan has a tradition of long ballots.

Until this month, Michigan was one of 16 states that also enjoyed the century-old tradition of being able to simplify the voting process by allowing straight-party voting - one punch of the ballot allowed voters to choose all Democrats, or all Republicans.

Not any more. Armed with the knowledge that more Democratic voters use straight-party voting, the Republican-controlled legislature on Dec. 6 did away with it. Now, even with the Florida voting fiasco not forgotten, Michigan's ballots will become more complex, and the state's voters will have to work harder to make sure that they're voting for the candidates who represent their interests.

In the November 2000 presidential election, 78 percent of Detroit voters voted straight-ticket.

State Republicans have argued that requiring voters to make selections for individual races will result in more informed choices, and that too many straight-ticket voters ignore the nonpartisan portions of a ballot, such as Supreme Court races.

Republicans didn't stop there. According to the Michigan Democratic Party, they also rejected several amendments that would assist voters by:

• Allowing any registered voter to cast an absentee ballot;
• Would turn Election Day into a statewide holiday;
• Would expand the hours for people to vote;
• Creating the opportunity to vote by mail.

"By eliminating straight-party voting and not passing these amendments, the Republican legislature has shown they are working for the biggest special interest group in Lansing - themselves," said state Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer. "There is nothing else that explains their contempt for the needs of Michigan's voters."